Ipswich's lengthy unbeaten home league record came to an end as goals from Tommy Smith and Nathan Ellington gave Watford victory at Portman Road.

The hosts were the only team in the Football League to still be unbeaten in their own backyard prior to kick-off but Watford brought that run to a grinding halt.

Smith and Ellington's strikes either side of half-time were eventually enough to ensure the Hornets, who boast the best away record in the division, became the first Championship side to come away from Portman Road with all three points this season.

The game began cagily as both sides looked reluctant to commit men forward for fear of leaving themselves vulnerable at the back, and Ipswich midfielder David Norris' speculative 30-yard effort that sailed wide in the ninth minute proved to be the only meaningful shot in anger of the first half an hour.

But just as the game looked to be drifting towards half-time, the visitors struck to take a 33rd-minute lead.

After a period of sustained pressure, Mathew Sadler's corner from the right was met by the head of midfielder Smith, who nodded powerfully into the top-right corner to make it 1-0.

Both sides would have welcomed the chance to regroup at half-time and the match exploded into life after the interval.

Watford striker Ellington came close in the 46th minute when he met January signing Leigh Bromby's cross but his shot flew wide.

Then three minutes later, in-form Alan Quinn almost equalised at the other end but his long-range effort sailed over the visitors' bar before substitute Alan Lee hit the crossbar with a firmly-hit drive from the right of the area.

And the home team were made to rue their missed chances when Ellington was on hand to slot home and double the Hornets' lead in the 56th minute.

The former Wigan and West Brom striker was the first to react to Jordan Stewart's left-wing cut-back and he made no mistake in firing home from 12 yards to make it 2-0.

The visitors were in rampant mood and could have had another but Smith's rasping shot was well held by Stephen Bywater.

Just when it was looking like one-way traffic, the home side struck back through winger Jonathan Walters, who poked home from six yards to grab his 11th goal of the season in the 71st minute.

Boothroyd's men were clearly eager to re-enter the comfort zone and restore their two-goal advantage and almost did so immediately but Darius Henderson's 72nd-minute header crept narrowly over the bar.

There were further chances for Ellington and substitute Steve Kabba but the Hornets could not extend their lead and hung on to ensure they claimed the three points.

Teams:

Ipswich Bywater, Wright, De Vos, Bruce, Harding, Norris, Miller (Lee 46), Garvan (Sumulikoski 60), Quinn, Walters, Counago (Haynes 59).

Subs Not Used: Colgan, Naylor.

Goals: Walters 71.

Watford Lee, Mariappa, Shittu, Bromby, Sadler, Smith (Kabba 82), Bangura, Eustace, Ainsworth (Stewart 54), Darius Henderson, Ellington (O'Toole 77).

Subs Not Used: Poom, Doyley.

Booked: Eustace, Darius Henderson, Bangura, Bromby.

Goals: Smith 33, Ellington 56.

Att: 24,227

Ref: Andy D'Urso (Essex).